Photolithography technology for use in making semiconductor devices has advanced into vacuum UV wavelength ranges due to the requirement of very high resolution of the devices needed for the production of very fine features of modern high-speed, high-performance, low-energy-consumption chips. Special optical materials are being researched and developed for use in the lenses manipulating the UV light at such short wavelength. Synthetic silica has found significant use in such applications.
Nonetheless, there remains a need of an optical member with high transmission and other desired features at short wavelength, especially at or below 193 nm. The present invention satisfies this need.